Zoot Suit, by playwright Luis Valdez, has served a critical role in the development and history of Chicano and Hispanic theatre. Not only was Zoot Suit the first Chicano play to be performed on Broadway, playwright Luis Valdez is known as the Father of Chicano Theatre due to his expansive resume in the world of the dramatic arts.
Valdez's story begins in the summer of 1965 when he decided to join Ceaser Chavez and the various farm workers' strikes that were occurring all over California and the South West, particularly in Delano, CA. Valdez furthered the movement through his usage of improvisational theatre and performance in order to help the migrant workers' cause. Such an act would earn him the title as the father of the new direction in Chicano theatre. Such works created by Valdez were known as actos, and they served as short vignettes that dramatized the culture and spirit of the movement and the Chicano's reality as a whole. This new era of Chicano theatre resulted in a more revolutionary and social movement that was originally intended. It was from this widespread success that Valdez was inspired to create El Teatro Campesino, or the Farm Workers' Theatre. However, while Valadez was widely celebrated for his work in the movement and popularization of Chicano theatre, he was also highly criticized. One such event where Valdez was criticized for his work was TENAZ or El Teatro Nacional de Aztlan in Mexico City in 1974. Valdez and others were criticized due to differences in functions between himself and various other Chicano movements and works.
While El Teatro Campesino came into existence in part due to the farm-worker issue, the themes of the works captured various other topics as well including the mistreatment of Mexican-Americans in the Vietnam War, the worst of Chicago stereotypes, and various other racial and ethnic issues. It was not until 1978, that Valdez's Zoot Suit, inspired by the Zoot Suit Riots of Los Angeles in 1943, debuted in Los Angeles. During the show's run in Los Angeles, the show was met with critical and popular praise. However, while the show did go on to become the first Chicano piece to be performed on Broadway, the run was met with criticism and less praise than was expected.
Ultimately, Zoot Suit is the prime example of a piece of Chicano theatre. Just as Chicano theatre incorporates two languages, English, and a more conversational Spanish Slang, so does the play. In addition, the play does a stellar job of educating the general public while also offering an appropriate take to serve the interest of the Chicano community as authentically as possible. In addition, a lot of the widespread success of Valdez's shows, Zoot Suit in particular, can be traced back to the growth and popularity of Hispanic theatre that has recently boomed within the latter quarter of the 20th century. The work of Zoot Suit is also heavily influenced by Mexican-American theatre as Valdez is a Mexican-American himself. Zoot Suit also marked a shift in style of Mexican-American plays as similar shows that were later produced as a result of Zoot Suit's success required the work of skilled performers rather than impromptu and improvisational works done during Valdez's actos-era. In conclusion, Zoot Suit and Valdez have both served as focal points of the combined efforts of the Chicano, Hispanic, and Mexican-American theatre movements.
Zoot Suit, by playwright Luis Valdez, has served a critical role in the development and history of Chicano and Hispanic theatre. Not only was Zoot Suit the first Chicano play to be performed on Broadway, playwright Luis Valdez is known as the Father of Chicano Theatre due to his expansive resume in the world of the dramatic arts.
Valdez's story begins in the summer of 1965 when he decided to join Ceaser Chavez and the various farm workers' strikes that were occurring all over California and the South West, particularly in Delano, CA. Valdez furthered the movement through his usage of improvisational theatre and performance in order to help the migrant workers' cause. Such an act would earn him the title as the father of the new direction in Chicano theatre. Such works created by Valdez were known as actos, and they served as short vignettes that dramatized the culture and spirit of the movement and the Chicano's reality as a whole. This new era of Chicano theatre resulted in a more revolutionary and social movement that was originally intended. It was from this widespread success that Valdez was inspired to create El Teatro Campesino, or the Farm Workers' Theatre. However, while Valadez was widely celebrated for his work in the movement and popularization of Chicano theatre, he was also highly criticized. One such event where Valdez was criticized for his work was TENAZ or El Teatro Nacional de Aztlan in Mexico City in 1974. Valdez and others were criticized due to differences in functions between himself and various other Chicano movements and works.
While El Teatro Campesino came into existence in part due to the farm-worker issue, the themes of the works captured various other topics as well including the mistreatment of Mexican-Americans in the Vietnam War, the worst of Chicago stereotypes, and various other racial and ethnic issues. It was not until 1978, that Valdez's Zoot Suit, inspired by the Zoot Suit Riots of Los Angeles in 1943, debuted in Los Angeles. During the show's run in Los Angeles, the show was met with critical and popular praise. However, while the show did go on to become the first Chicano piece to be performed on Broadway, the run was met with criticism and less praise than was expected.
Ultimately, Zoot Suit is the prime example of a piece of Chicano theatre. Just as Chicano theatre incorporates two languages, English, and a more conversational Spanish Slang, so does the play. In addition, the play does a stellar job of educating the general public while also offering an appropriate take to serve the interest of the Chicano community as authentically as possible. In addition, a lot of the widespread success of Valdez's shows, Zoot Suit in particular, can be traced back to the growth and popularity of Hispanic theatre that has recently boomed within the latter quarter of the 20th century. The work of Zoot Suit is also heavily influenced by Mexican-American theatre as Valdez is a Mexican-American himself. Zoot Suit also marked a shift in style of Mexican-American plays as similar shows that were later produced as a result of Zoot Suit's success required the work of skilled performers rather than impromptu and improvisational works done during Valdez's actos-era. In conclusion, Zoot Suit and Valdez have both served as focal points of the combined efforts of the Chicano, Hispanic, and Mexican-American theatre movements.